Portable bar



March 12, 1940. A. w. SMITH 2,193,780

PORTABLE BAR Filed Jan. 5, 1939 7% ffl J II I '2 A! Z W win I; f q t I 7 fd' 1i /1 Z (p zi L L I I INVEN'IIOR. JQM 52rzz% BY A TTORN E Y.

Patented Mar. 12, 1940 PORTABLE BAR Albert W. Smith, Springfield, Mass, assignor to United Dairy System, Inc., Springfield, Mass, a corporation of New'Hampshire Application January 5, 1939, Serial No. 249,439

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in portable bars and is directed more particularly to the provision of a bar construction having relatively foldable parts so that the same may be folded into collapsedposition to facilitate packing and moving of the same about. 1 I

As special features, the apparatus of the invention includes both a front bar and a back bar and each has folding parts. As an object of the invention, the movable parts are arranged so that when they are moved to upstanding or usable position they tend to reinforce one another and hold one another in-the desired relation.

It is still another object of the invention to pro- -vide a bar construction of the class to be described which is economical to manufacture and which is simpler in form andcontaining fewer parts than stationary bars now in use.

Various novel features and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter more fully referred to in connection with the accompanying description of the present preferred formof the inven tion, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing, wherein:-

Fig. 1 is a top-planview of the front bar of the device of the invention in the set-up position;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the same; Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of what is shown in Fig. 2; v

. Fig. 4 is anend elevational view of the device as shown in Fig.- 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view along the line 5--5 in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a plan viewof the right hand end of the device of the invention with certain parts thereof swung upwardly and the end wall swung into adjacency with the other wall to clarify the construction of the'same.

Referring now to the drawing more in detail, the invention will be fully-described.

In Figs. 1-3 inclusive, there is shown a front bar which is adapted to support and/or substantially enclose the materials with which-the bar-tender will work. This includes afront wall member 2 and side wall members 4 at opposite ends thereof a all of which are intended to extend upwardly from the floor in vertical position when the bar is in use. j p

Hinged to the upper side of front wall 2, as by hinges 6,, is a top panel 8. Hinged as by hinges l2 to the upper sides of each of theend walls 4 there are top panels I0. These panels 8v and I0 are for supporting the articles being dispensed and, as will be seen, the panels 10 are at right angles to, and at opposite ends of, panel 8 when the bar is in set-up position as shown in Figs.

1-3'inclusive. 1

The front wall member preferably has trim portions l4 extending horizontally alongits upper and lower marginal edges. Preferably; 'too','

the end wall members 4 havesimilar trim parts Hi, as shown. While I have found it convenient to form the wall members 2 and .4 of outer and this is not necessary. g

The end wall members t are hingedly connected, as byhinges 18, to opposite ends of wall member 2. This is to facilitate their swinging between various desired positions.

inner thicknesses as indicated in the drawing,

I willnow describe what is shown in Figs; Sand 6 morejin detail and it will be understood that i I employ the same construction at the opposite end of the bar. v 4

Secured to either the front end of end member 4 or tothe adjacent end of front member 2 is a molding member which is adapted to fit around and ornament the corner of the bar when in setup position. It is obvious thatsince the parts are collapsible to the position shown in Fig. 6,

the molding member must not be permanently attached to both the ends and the front wall.='

In the form shown, the molding member has integral parts and 22 extending substantially at right angles to one another. The part 20 extends adjacent the outside of wall 4, as shown, 1-

and may be secured thereto in any suitable wa as by a lug part 24 extending into wall 4. The lip 22 is adapted to'fit adjacent the outside of wall 2 when the wall parts are at right angles to one another as shown in Fig. 5. On

the other hand, the member 22, being attached to the part 28, will move therewith to the position shown'in Fig. 6 when the bar is collapsed.

It will be noted that when the front bar is in collapsed position, the panels 8 and H! are swung up into a relatively vertical position and the end walls l are swung in behind the front wall 2.

The construction is such that when the bar is to be set up, the end walls 4 have their inner faces I of their forward end portions in abutmentwith the opposite ends of the front wall.

Then the panels are swung into horizontal position and the forward faces ofthe end panels III are in abutment with the rear face of the front panel It. This serves to hold the end walls from swinging inwardly when it is not desired to have them do so.

The construction of the trims l4 and I6 is also I such that the parts neatly interfit in a similar manner. I

When the parts just described are in set-up position, I preferably dispose a supporting-member of some kind behind front member 2 and between walls 4. This may be removably supported on brackets such as 32 attached to the inner sides of the end walls, as shown.

I have found that when the member 35 is of the proper length, it likewise serves to prevent inward movement of the end walls "3. This assures against undesired collapsing, of the bar.

The whole apparatus may thus be folded to collapsed position and the various parts placed one upon the other and conveniently shipped to a desired point. As has been shown, the construction is such that it may be readily set-up in usable position with the parts safely, yet easily, held against undesired collapsing.

While I have described the invention in great detail and with respect to the present preferred form thereof, it is not desired to be limited thereto since changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A collapsible bar having a relatively long central portion and side portions normally disposed in the shape of a U comprising in combination, a vertical front wall member, relatively short vertical end walls normally disposed at right angles to said wall member with the inner faces of their forward edge portions in abutment with the end faces of said wall member, hinges secured both to the rear face of said wall memher and to the inner faces of said end walls and connecting said end walls and said wall member whereby said end walls may swing from normal positions to positions substantially parallel with and adjacent the rear face of said wall member, a separate panel member for each of said end walls normally disposed in the same horizontal plane with one another with the lower faces of their outer edge portions in abutment with the upper faces of said end walls, hinges secured both to the upper faces of said end walls and to the lower faces of the outer edge portions of said panel members and connecting said panel members and said end walls so that said panel members may swing from the normal positions to vertical positions substantially parallel with said end walls, a panel for said wall mom or normally disposed in the same plane with said panel members when the latter are in their normal positions with the lower face of its forward edge portion in abutment with the upper face of said wall member, and hinges secured both to the upper face of said wall member and to the lower face of the forward edge portion of said panel and connecting said wall member and said panel so that said panel may swing from its normal position to a vertical position substantially parallel with said wall member, said panel being substantially the same length as said wall member and said panel members being of less length than said end walls and the forward faces of said panel members being in abutment with the rear face of said panel when said panel members and panel are in their normal positions so as to prevent said end walls being moved from their normal positions without first moving said panel members and said panel from their normal positions.

2. A collapsible bar having a relatively long central portion and side portions normally disposed in the shape of a U comprising in combination, a vertical front wall, relatively short vertical end walls normally disposed at right angles to said front wall with the inner faces of their forward edge port ons in abutment with the end faces of said front wall, hinges secured both to the rear face of said front wall and to the inner faces of said end walls and connecting said end walls so that said end walls may swing from normal positions to positions substantially parallel with and adjacent the rear face of said front wall, a separate panel member for each of said end walls normally d sposed in the same horizontal plane with one another with the lower faces of their outer edge portions in abutment with the upper faces of said end walls, hinges secured both to said upper faces of said end walls and to the lower faces of the outer edge portions of said panel members and connecting said panel members and said end walls so that said panel members may swing from the normal positions to vertical positions substantially parallel with said end walls, a panel for said front wall. normally disposed in the same plane with said panel members when the latter are in their normal positions with the lower face of its forward edge portion in abutment with the upper face of said front wall, hinges secured both to the upper face of said front wall and to the lower face of the forward edge portion of said panel and connecting said front wall and panel so that the latter may swing from its normal position to a vertical position substantially parallel with said front wall, said panel being substantially the same length as said front wall and said panel members being of less length than said end walls and the forward faces of said panel members being in abutment with the rear face of said panel when said panel members and said panel are in their normal positions so as to prevent the said end walls being moved from their normal positions without first moving said panel members and said panel from their normal positions, and molding members having parts secured to the forward portions of said end walls and lip parts for overlying the forward faces of the opposite end portions of said front wall when the walls are in their normal positions, said lip parts moving away from said front wall when said end walls are swung from their normal positions.

ALBERT W. SMITH. 

